Arsenal were excellent in their 5-0 victory over Sheffield United yesterday, and whilst Eddie Nketiah stole the headlines with his hattrick, Declan Rice has also earned plaudits for his fine display.
Rice has been fantastic since his club-record arrival in the summer, playing in both defensive and more advanced midfield roles, and he showed his attacking potential as he provided an assist for Nketiah’s opening goal.
The 24-year-old has now been praised in the media for his fine display, with some pointing out how his assist showed that he is capable of providing attacking output in addition to his defensive work.
Declan Rice praised in the media
GOAL gave Rice a rating of 8/10, and highlighted that the “superb” midfielder was instrumental in driving Arsenal forward.
Football.London also gave Rice an 8/10 rating, and noted that his tally of a goal and two assists in his last three games shows how well he can drive forwards and contribute in attack.
The Standard described Rice’s display as “flawless,” and claimed that he “did not put a foot wrong.”
Declan Rice’s attacking ability
In recent weeks, Rice had started in a more advanced midfield role next to Martin Odegaard, with Jorginho at the base, but yesterday’s game saw the England star return to his deep role behind Emile Smith Rowe and Kai Havertz.
Despite playing as the deepest midfielder, Rice drove forward with the ball, and often found himself close to the box. He ultimately got his reward, as Nketiah smartly finished off his cross to break the deadlock.
It was another sensational performance from Rice, and he is beginning to show how he can contribute in the final third even from deeper positions. He received criticism for not scoring enough, both at West Ham and even at Arsenal, but his confidence near the opposition box should now silence any critics he may still have.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
